Ffestiniog Railway Bygones Weekend. Something old and something VERY new.

Part One of the Bygones Weekend event concenrtrates on the two extremes of what can be seen on the Ffestiniog Railway, the very oldest items, some of which are replicas, and the very newest addition to the railway - the brand new double Fairlie locomotive, “James Spooner II”.

[@MervynPartin]

Very enjoyable. That was the first time that I've seen an actual gravity train running. The Baldwin Diesel was quaint, too. Looks like it was a pretty good weekend event.

[@GarethJonesPilipala]

I hadn't seen a gravity train before, either. I tried to get a place on one of them but seats are given only to the long term volunteers and people who have given generous donations to the railway. You might like to see the official Ffestiniog video of the weekend gals : czcams.com/video/Eb4sZv5wCL8/video.htmlsi=SKRF0NVa1ybADda0

[@TheHoveHeretic]

Looking at the relative cab heights between Nos.8, 12 an 4415, the Kerr Stuart diesel can't have fouled Garnedd Tunnel by much. Time to get someone up there with a bolster and lump hammer?

[@GarethJonesPilipala]

I went through Garnedd Tunnel behind 4415 last year without any problem, so has the loco been reduced slightly in size? I think it would be a major job to lower the tunnel floor. A few inches was taken off the floor sometime towards the end of the 1960s so that the larger carriages being introduced would fit. The Chinese loco also just fits the tunnel and I assume JSII will fit.

[@HuwJones]

Excellent. Was disappointed that there was no sign of Gerpa de Werpa! I wonder why the new double Fairlie has an open cab design - not great when its raining.

[@anonymousthomasfan1111]

I think there’s a full cab roof which is removable, I’ve seen pictures of the new engine with and without and open cab

[@HuwJones]

@@anonymousthomasfan1111 That's interesting and good to know. I hope to visit the railway in 2024 and see the new loco.

[@GarethJonesPilipala]

I was talking to a driver and he said the loco would not be fitted with a cab roof. Also, notice that when James Spooner is alongside one of the other Fairlies, that it’s cab fronts are considerably higher that a loco fitted with a cab roof. I wonder why?

[@TheHoveHeretic]

​@@GarethJonesPilipalaThanks for that. I'm relieved I wasn't imagining it when I saw images of the two locos on adjacent lines in Harbour.
Any idea if JSII's bells are hand or steam operated? I keep hearing US style clang-clanging in my head every time I look at those bells!

[@GarethJonesPilipala]

@@TheHoveHeretic I watched Jon Whalley operate the bell and I was convinced his hand movement suggested it was a hand operated bell. However, when I watch the video very carefully there is no clear sign that Jon was repeatedly pulling a bell pull. Also, I can’t see any sign of a wire running to the bell so I am now of the opinion that it’s steam operated. To be on the safe side, the answer is ‘I don’t know’. I heard several people comment that the sound of the bell was ‘too American’ for the Ffestiniog Railway!